The unsung hero
by Delenafanatic
Summary: What if Damon did get bit in the mountains? This is an alternate ending to Season 3 Episode 2 'The Hybrid'
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: All rights go to L.J. Smith and the CW.**

**Hello Everyone. This story came to me when I was re watching Season 3 Episode 2 'The Hybrid.' I couldn't get it out of my mind so I had to write it. I hope you guys enjoy.  
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**Damon**

I feel my heart drop when I spot Elena in danger, that thing growling menacingly at her. I look around for an answer as to what I'm supposed to do. I don't think about my actions as I see the fear overtake her features. I need to protect her.

"Here doggie, doggie." I say mockingly. The wolf whips its head at me. I watch as horror spreads on Elena's face as she realizes what I'm about to do. Once I know I have its full attention.

I run.

I hear the hybrids panting and his footsteps stomping after me. I need to get this thing away from Elena and Alaric. I continue to run, dodging trees until I can no longer hear it behind me. I feel dread wash over me as I hesitantly walk through the dense forest, trying to make as little noise as possible.

I whip my head around as I hear the resounding snap of a tree branch breaking. I turn back around just in time to see the hybrid leap out from nowhere and tackle me to the ground. I leap up and pull my arm back, flinging my fist at the hybrid's bloody face. This just seems to anger him more as he starts to blindly swing at me.

I dunk, avoiding every fierce throw of his fists. I bend down and go for his legs; I feel a little excitement as his back slams hard onto the ground. The excitement is short lived as he kicks out with his legs and I feel myself go flying backwards onto the solid forest floor. I jump back up just in time to see him leap into the air. I lift up my hands to fling him behind me.

He comes at me again.

I hold my arms out, gripping him on the shoulders to stop his attack. I feel all encompassing fear take over my body as his teeth snap at my neck. I use all of my strength to try and fight him off, but soon I realize it's a lost cause.

This is one of those battles that are lost before it has even begun.

I can feel his spit hitting me on the cheek and neck as he closes in on me. I grit my teeth as I feel the familiar pain of teeth puncturing my flesh. I vaguely wonder if this is how it feels like to humans when a vampire bites them.

I feel his jaw lock as his teeth clamp onto my shoulder blade, tearing into the flesh viciously. The relief is overwhelming when his gruesome hold on me slackens and finally his teeth release my shoulder as the hybrid falls to the ground. I look up to see Stefan holding onto the guys' heart.

His face is horror struck as he stares at the wound on my shoulder.

"Damon…" He whispers as he drops the hybrids heart onto the dirt covered forest floor. Blood from the hybrids heart turns the light brown dirt, a dark brown that's tinted with red. I continue to stare at the ground, watching as the blood slowly makes its way toward Stefan's boot. I don't want to look into Stefan's pitiful eyes.

"I… I could ask Klaus… maybe he would give me more of his blood." Stefan chokes out, walking up to me to further inspect my wound. I shake my head back and forth, taking a step back from him.

"You and I both know he won't Stefan." I say calmly.

"I can at least try. I did not sell myself to him just for you to end up dead anyways." He growls out at me. I feel warmth fill my heart at Stefan's insistent to keep me alive. At least I know someone wants me alive.

"Stefan I'm not going to let you make another idiotic deal with _him_ to save my life again!" I yell at him. Doesn't he understand that people need him more than me in Mystic Falls? I can tell that everyone blames me for Stefan's recent trip to the dark side. Hell I can even sometimes see it in Elena's face and that hurts.

I will not allow him to get away this time. I can smell the human blood coming off of him and I will not allow him to lose himself to the blood. No matter how much I want to deny it, he's my little brother and I need to protect him. If that means I have to die then so be it.

Also Elena _needs _Stefan and no matter how much I wish I was enough for her, I know I never will be. Everyone will be much happier with Stefan back and me gone. The world will be back on its axis.

"I won't let you die!" Stefan yells at me, I scoff at his stubbornness.

I already made peace with death the last time this happened. My only regret would be not bringing him back for Elena, so I'm not going to give up on trying.

"Stefan you need to go back to Mystic Falls." This time he is the one who scoffs at my words.

"I already told you before. I'm not coming back." His voice is calm, but I can hear the well hidden _want_ in his voice. I know he wants more than anything to go back to Mystic Falls, to _Elena._ I can hear it in his voice and God help me if I'm not going to use it to my advantage.

"She's not going to give up Stefan and she's going to need someone there to protect her when I'm gone." I say while pointing to my neck. What I said seem to have set him off because his face becomes furious.

"I already told you. I'm going to ask Klaus for more blood!" He hisses out as he begins to turn around to probably head back to Klaus.

"I swear to God Stefan if you don't get your ass back to Mystic Falls then I will kill myself despite if you can get the blood or not." I shout out, desperate to get Stefan's attention. I need to bring him back to Elena. I can't stand to hear her sobbing in Stefan's room when she thinks I'm not there. The sound pierces my heart and I never want to hear her that heartbroken ever again. He turns around and scrutinizes my expression.

"You would never kill yourself." He says, trying to call my bluff. Luckily I'm good at concealing my emotions. I have the best poker face ever. I give him a challenging look; obviously I would never kill myself. If I knew Elena would be left unprotected I would never, but this seems to be the only way to catch Stefan's attention.

I know that if I do this, that if I get Stefan to go back to Mystic Falls then I will die. I just feel so guilty for putting him in this position in the first place that I'm willing to sacrifice myself to make things right again. Sadly the only people who will probably miss me when I'm gone are Stefan, Elena and Rick.

"Try me." I challenge.

They will get over it eventually though.

Elena will have Stefan and Rick well he will have his booze.

Hell I'm already dying anyways so why not make everyone happy with Stefan's return instead of making him go to Klaus who will surely deny him the cure and then take him away where we will probably never find him again.

This is the only alternative I can see.

I tell him as much and I watch as acceptance spreads across his face. Finally he sees it too, that Klaus would never give him the cure. He walks up to me and pulls me into a bone crushing hug. I clench my jaw as tight as I can, forcing myself not to cry.

Stefan doesn't hold back.

I feel salty tears fall onto my neck and slides down my chest, my black shirt absorbing them.

"Keep her safe brother." I say through clenched teeth, blinking rapidly as the tears threaten to fall down my cheeks.

"You're not coming?" Stefan blanches as he pulls away, looking at me as if I was dropped on my head as a child.

I shake my head back and forth.

"What about Elena and Alaric…" He trails off; I know he wanted to say 'what about me?' I sigh as I pull out of his embrace.

"I can't put her through watching me die again." Understanding washes over his face as he takes a step back.

"Just please don't tell her this time." I beg him. I don't need her to do some crazy kamikaze mission to get Klaus' blood. He thinks she's dead and I want it to stay that way.

"Say that I left to go travel the world, or to go sample sorority girls from other countries. Or better yet say that I joined Jersey Shore. Yeah I would fit right in with them. Having sex every night, getting drunk, going clubbing…" I trail off as I watch Stefan trying to fight a smile at my so called 'Damon humor.'

Immediately his smile drops and the reality of the situation sets in. There is no saving me this time brother. I quickly give him directions to Rick's car, trying to get him to Elena before he changes his mind.

He takes off like a speeding bullet; I don't hesitate to follow after him. I stand at the top of a hill overlooking Rick's car. I hide in the shadows as I watch Stefan make his way over to the car. It doesn't take long for Elena to jump out of the car like it's on fire and run into Stefan's awaiting arms.

I take a step out of the shadows as I see a smile the size of Russia spread across her face. I give a bitter smile as I hear 'I love you' being repeated over and over again by her and Stefan. I imagine myself in his shoes. I imagine what it would be like if it was me who she ran too, me who she was fretting over.

I watch as they share a fierce kiss in the middle of the field, I avert my eyes away from the painful sight and up at the billions of stars painting the black sky. Elena and Stefan are together again and Damon is on the side lines, forgotten about.

All is right in the world.

I let out a bitter chuckle as I realize Elena totally forgot about me and the danger I was in because of that hybrid. It's like she's not even worried if I got bit or not, as long as she has Stefan by her side nothing else matters.

I'm chop liver.

I sigh as Stefan leads her to the car and opens up the door to the backseat, the whole time she can't seem to keep her hands off of him. I feel panic set in as I catch Rick looking at me from his place at the cars hood.

I bore my eyes into his, trying to silently communicate with him. I narrow my eyes when he attempts to speak; I point at the bite on my shoulder and watch as realization dawns on him. He looks distraught, but luckily he says nothing as he gives me one last look and then gets into the driver's side and Stefan in the passenger seat. I look back over to Elena and watch her the whole time, begging her with my mind to at least inquire about me.

Yet not a word was spoken.

I watch as Rick starts the car and slowly starts to drive away. My heart drops the farther the car drives away. She must truly not care. I go to turn around when I hear her angelic voice speak out.

"Is Damon meeting us at the boarding house?" The happiness at her remembering about me is short lived when I remember that I'm not going to be meeting them at the boarding house. I'm going to be dead.

I don't get to hear Stefan's response as the car drives out of hearing range. Without further ado I turn around and make my way into the foliage. The stars disappear along with the moonlit sky. Shrouding my world in darkness, where I'm to die.

Alone.

The unsung hero.

**A/N: Did you guys like it? I know it's sad. If I get enough reviews I might continue with this story since I have a few ideas. So if anyone wants me to continue then just leave a review. **


	2. Chapter 2

******Disclaimer: All rights go to L.J. Smith and the CW.**

**Okay so since I got reviews from you amazing people asking me to continue this story, I decided hey why not? Anyways I want to say that for any of you who read my other story Realization, I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while. I kind of lost inspiration for that story. Anyways I'm going to try to update that in the next few days so I hope you guys aren't to mad.  
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**Elena**

I just finish telling Alaric that Jeremy, he and I are all fit for each other when I spot a shadowy figure approaching the car. I turn in my seat to get a better view of the person approaching the car.

Stefan!

I swing open the door and sprint over into his awaiting arms. I can't believe he's here. We found him. I knew coming to this mountain was a great idea! I hug him as if he will disappear if I ever let go. I can't believe he's truly here.

"I love you." He whispers to me as he caresses my face with his hands. I look into his forest green eyes that are full of love.

"I love you too." I whisper back as I lift my hands, roaming them all over his body. I need to make sure he is truly here and it's not just another one of my dreams. It was like a floodgate opened and all we can say is 'I love you' as we share a kiss. A weird feeling is trying to push its way through my subconscious, but I try and hide it.

This is Stefan. My boyfriend who I spent all summer looking for, obviously it will feel weird being intimate with him again after so long. I pull away and the feeling disappears slightly. I smile up at him as if nothing is wrong.

He takes my hand and leads me over to the car. I look behind him, out at the field. I squint my eyes at the daunting woods, trying to see if I can spot another figure stepping out of the trees. Maybe Damon was the one who found Stefan and told him to come here. Maybe he will meet us at the boarding house.

I feel dread creep up in me as I try to think of all the reasons why Damon isn't driving with us. Maybe he went to his car. He did take it, so it's only plausible that he would drive his car back home. I look over to Rick as he gets in and starts the car.

I look back out at the moonlit field and will my mind to stop thinking of the scenario where Damon was bitten by that hybrid.

No.

He's in his car right now on his way to the boarding house. I have to believe that because if he got hurt because of me…

"Is Damon meeting us at the boarding house?" I ask, just for reassurance that he is safe and sound. I look at the back of Stefan's head and then to Rick's side profile, waiting for one of them to answer my question. The car stay's silent and the dread come back tenfold.

"Stefan?" I say in a panic as I look behind us at the now disappeared field. If Damon is lost then we need to go back and look for him. Maybe he ran too far and couldn't find his way back.

"Yes Elena he's meeting us back at the boarding house." I let out a sigh of relief at that. Thank God Damon is safe. I don't know what I would do if he was hurt or worse because of me. I lean back into the seat and close my eyes, resting my head against the cold glass window. I quickly drift off into a restless sleep.

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I feel someone shaking my shoulder. I moan as I try to swat the hand away. Ugh my neck is killing me. Did I fall asleep on the couch in the parlor again?

"Ten more minutes Damon." I groan, trying to fall back asleep.

"Elena, it's not Damon. It's Stefan." I shoot up at the sound of Stefan's voice. I look around to notice the familiar surroundings of Stefan's bedroom. I look around, slightly disoriented. I never slept in Stefan's room since he left. I always fell asleep on the couch in the parlor, usually while Damon was rubbing my feet.

I smile at the memory.

"Elena?" Stefan's voice breaks me out of my memories. I look over at him, standing by the door with his hands in his pocket. He must have moved over there while I was daydreaming.

"Huh?" I ask.

"I need to talk to you." He says while slowly making his way over to the bed. I sit up against the headboard and watch as he awkwardly sits at the end of the bed. He seems to be keeping his distance from me for some reason.

"It's about Damon." The look on his face makes my heart drop into the pit of my stomach. His eyes look completely grief-stricken.

Oh God.

I can't find the will to speak as all the horrid scenarios of what could have happened to Damon flash through my mind. I try to ask him what's wrong, but my mouth feels to dry, like cotton balls are stuffed in my there. My mouth opens and closes like a fish's.

Stefan must have notice my incapability to form words.

"He…he…left." It sounds as if he was going to say something else, but decided to change his mind. I feel my jaw drop at that. He wouldn't… He…No Damon wouldn't have left without saying goodbye. He just wouldn't do that to me.

"What do you mean he left?" I ask hesitantly, trying to understand what Stefan is trying to tell me. After everything we've been through this summer, it's just not fathomable that he would leave me.

"I mean…he left to go travel." He said it slowly, almost willing me to believe him. I probably would have believed him had it not been for the way his eyes betrayed his devastation.

"Stefan…" I demand. His avoidance is really starting to piss me off. Damon would have just gotten straight to the point, not beat around the bush. A stab of pain hits my heart at the thought of Damon. What if he's in serious trouble?

Stefan turns away from me and stands up. He begins pacing in front of the bed, his eyes boring holes in the floor. I begin to feel anxious at his behavior. Where the hell is Damon? I slowly stand up and make my way over to Stefan.

I narrow my eyes as I hear pieces of his ramble.

"Promise… tells…travel...bi…" He cut off abruptly and turns to face me.

"I promised him I wouldn't tell you." He chokes out as I watch tears threaten to fall from his eyes.

"Tell me what?" I ask desperately. He looks down at the ground to avoid my eyes. I grab onto his forearms, trying to make him face me.

"_Please!"_ I cry out, the worry overtaking me. I don't know if I can take anymore. I went all summer looking for Stefan and when I get him back I lose Damon. It's not fair.

"There was a hybrid-" His voice brakes, not allowing him to finish the sentence. It's as if my veins turn to ice. It travels throughout my whole body, making me feel cold despite the hot temperature. The dawning realization of what happens washes over me.

Oh God.

"He…I…got there too late." He stutters out. I stare straight ahead, my body going completely numb.

"What about Klaus' blood?" I ask in a monotone voice. My body is numb, but my mind is in overdrive.

"I asked Damon the same thing, but he didn't want it. He wanted me to return back to you." He whispers as he takes my face into the palm of his hands. I shake my head, taking a step back from him.

"You didn't even try?" The words leave my lips without my consent. I regret it immediately when Stefan's face falls. I don't really regret the words, only that they hurt Stefan.

"Damon was right Elena, if I would have tried to get the blood Klaus would have said no and then Damon still would be dead and you would be left alone. It was the best solution." His voice bit out at me. I flinch at the word 'dead.' No he's not dead. It took almost two days for him to die and it has only been…

I look at the grandfather clock in the corner of Stefan's room. It's eight thirty-two in the morning. So Damon still has time.

"Where is he?" I ask my voice dangerously calm. I'm not going to let him die. He has always been here for me when I needed him. He worked tirelessly to find Stefan, just because I could never give up on him.

He told me it was too dangerous to go out into the mountains, but I ignored him. I'm the one who put him in this situation and I'll be damned if I let him die.

"I. don't. know." He says in a cold voice. I watch as veins start to creep up under his eyes. His eyes look cool and detached with the red tint to them, but as soon as I step back in fear his eyes go back to normal.

"Oh God, I'm so sorry Elena." He takes a step closer to me, but I take a step back. I can hear Damon's voice resounding in my mind, from my eighteenth birthday not to long ago 'Stefan's high on human blood.'

"Where's Damon?" I ask in a calm voice, trying to keep Stefan calm. Flashback's of when Stefan went bat shit crazy when he had my blood ran through my mind. He couldn't control himself. That uncontrollable vampire is the Stefan standing before me.

"I truly don't know Elena." He begs as he walks up to me and grabs my arms. I look into his eyes and know he's telling the truth.

"Then we have to ask Bonnie to do a locator spell to find him." I say. Without another word to Stefan I make my way out of his room and into Damon's. I smile as I remember the reason why I left my phone in his room.

**Flashback**

_I sit alone in the parlor, looking over the newspapers sprawled out on the table. There has to be a lead somewhere. I sigh and rub my hands across my eyes. I take a sip of my now cold coffee as I go over what I just read._

"_Ugh seriously?" I hear Damon's voice come from behind me. I turn my head to the side and roll my eyes at Damon's attire. He has on low slung jeans that barely hang on his hips. His black button shirt is open, revealing his gorgeous body. _

_I quickly avert my eyes. _

"_What do you want Damon?" I ask slightly annoyed at his lack of taking this issue seriously. Summer is almost over and we still don't have a solid lead on Stefan. _

"_I want you to loosen up, have some fun. Take five minutes from all this doom and gloom." He says, his voice slightly slurred. Oh great… he's drunk. _

"_I'm not in the mood Damon." My annoyed voice seems to further irritate him. He walks over to me and pulls me up from my arms and starts to dance with me. I rip my hands out of his and glare._

"_Why can't you take this seriously?" I growl out at him. He narrows his eyes at my tone._

"_I have been, but I am up to here." He says lifting his hand above his head._

"_With all this, I need a break!" He screams out, his expression pissed. I roll my eyes and make my way back to the table. I hear my phone go off. I take it out of my jean pocket and see the name 'Caroline.' She might have more news from her mom on Stefan's whereabouts. _

"_Hi Caroline thank God. Do you have any-" Before I can finish my sentence, the phone is ripped out of my hand. _

"_Hey!" I yell. Damon holds the phone up above his head as I try to jump for it. _

"_Damon!" I growl, my body practically rubbing up against his as I try to grab for my phone. He just chuckles at me as he speeds out of the room. I chase after him, not amused at his little prank. _

"_Damon this is not funny!" I continue to yell as I hear his chuckle come from ahead. I run down the hall, almost slipping on the rug as I turn the corner. I run into his room and spot him lying on his bed with his arms crossed behind his head._

"_Give me back my phone Damon." I demand in a calm voice. He just continues to smirk at me as he shakes his head back and forth. _

"_I swear Damon if you don't give me back my phone…" I let my voice trail off, the threat clear as day in my voice. He lets out a booming laugh at that. The laugh shook his whole frame. I just scowl at him, trying to hold back my smile at his behavior._

"_You'll what? I'm a big bad vampire and you're a human." He continues to laugh. I swear if he laughs anymore tears will fall from his eyes. While his eyes are closed I sneak up to the bed and jump on him. _

_He jolts at the sudden movement and his eyes go wide as I straddle his waist. I meant for it to be playful, to stun him so I can get my phone. I didn't expect the spark that goes through me at the contact of our lower bodies. _

_My eyes go as wide as his. My breathing becomes heavy as we stare into each others eyes. Subconsciously I start to lean down, my breathing becoming shallower as our lips become closer. The slam of a door jolts me out of my trance. _

"_Elena I called you and you didn't answer your phone?" Caroline's voice yells from downstairs. I jump off of Damn as if his body burned me. His eyes are still as wide as __saucers __as he looks at me from his place on the bed. _ _I run out of the room without looking back, my cell phone all but forgotten._

**End of Flashback**

I open up Damon's bedroom door and walk inside. I make my way towards the bed which is still unmade. Right there in the middle of the bed is my iphone. I take it and touch the screen; a tingle shoots up my spine when my wall paper shows Damon's cocky face instead of the normal Stefan and I's picture.

I slide the lock over and open up my contacts. I scroll down to Bonnie's number. Before I press talk, I scroll down to Damon's. I click call and put the phone up to my ear.

Ring.

I close my eyes, willing Damon to answer.

Ring.

_Please._

Ring. I sigh as I pull the phone from my ear.

"Hello?" My heart stops as I hear Damon's husky voice come over the receiver. He answered. He's alive! I hastily put the phone back to my ear.

"Damon…" I whisper into the mouth piece. It goes silent on the other end and I'm afraid he hung up. I pull the phone away and check the screen. It still says call connected. "Damon please." I don't know what I'm begging him for. I just need to hear his voice again, make sure he's okay. I sit on his bed and wait. Wait for him to say something, anything.

"Damon Salvatore" A menacing voice on the other line drawls out. I feel my heart drop into the pit of my stomach. I know that voice to well. It's not the velvety sweet voice belonging to Damon. No, that voice belongs to the man who destroyed my life.

Klaus.

**A/N: So did you guys enjoy it? I know you all probably wanted Damon's point of view, but I wanted to show Elena's emotions to the events that transpired. Anyways please leave a review if you like where it's going.**


	3. Chapter 3

******Disclaimer: All rights go to L.J. Smith and the CW.**

**So here is the next chapter. In Damon's POV like promised. I want to tell you guys that it's hard writing two stories, but I hope I'm doing okay. It's not hard in the story content way since the two stories are completely different, but I thank those of you who are patient with the waiting of the chapters. Also thanks to all of you who reviewed it means a lot.  
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**Damon**

Hours after Rick, Stefan and Elena left I wander around the vast mountain plain. My vampire eyesight is allowing me to see despite the pitch dark. I stop a couple times because of the random dizzy spells that make me trip over stumps and rocks.

I stop my aimless wandering to lounge on the ground. I rest my back against the rough bark of a huge tree and close my eyes. I hope that if I get some sleep at least some of the pain will go away. The bite is already starting to hurt. I know that I need to stop walking since the dizziness already set in. I won't get anywhere if I'm tripping over stuff and falling on my face.

I look up through the small slits in the leaves and notice the small beams of pink light trying to force their way through. I must have been walking through the night then because now the sun is starting to rise judging by the pink tinge instead of the normal yellow.

The light just ends up making shadows, making the forest look even more daunting. I vaguely wonder if I'm still in the mountains. I shake my head and squeeze my eyes shut even tighter; I need to shut my brain down if I'm going to get any sleep. I feel the familiar hunger start to arise in my body. Well Luckily I'm in the forest where no humans are around. As soon as the thought flits across my mind I smell blood, but instantly know it's not human.

"Ugh this is useless." I yell out in frustration. I spring my eyes open and glare at a little chipmunk that is standing five feet away from me with nuts in his mouth, looking at me.

"Get lost. Don't you know I'm a big bad vampire that can kill you in a second flat?" I say out loud to the little thing who just continues to stare. Its cheeks are puffed out and its little beady eyes are trained on me. The little thing is frozen in place with an acorn halfway to its mouth. The image is kind of amusing.

"Ugh of course you're not scared of me." I let out a chuckle. I'm not Stefan who eats these little things for breakfast. No matter how hungry I am. The little thing just cocks its head to the side, stuffs the acorn into its mouth and then runs off. Ugh great I must have truly gone insane if I'm sitting here talking to a freaking chipmunk.

I close my eyes again, giving the sleep thing another try. I think back to before summer, when I got bit the first time. How I began to have hallucinations, the unbearable pain, the overwhelming hunger.

I wince as I remember one of my hallucinations. I ended up biting Elena. God I will never forgive myself for that. I actually hurt Elena. I never wanted to cause Elena physical pain and yet there I was, hurting her because of Katherine. God I hate Katherine.

I'm so happy that this time there is no Elena around for me to hurt. This time she will be safe and sound. She's probably sleeping right now…in Stefan's bed. I bang my head against the tree as feel the now regular pain in my chest. Thinking of her and Stefan like that hurts.

I feel a slight vibrating feeling in my pants. What the hell? I look down and see a lump from my jean pocket. Oh shit my phone. I hope it's not ruined. I did go into a lake after Elena who was oh so desperate to find the love of her life, no matter who gets hurt in the process. Ah who the hell cares, I'm dying anyways.

I pull the phone out of my pocket and answer it without looking at the caller i.d. It's probably Stefan checking up on me to see how I'm doing. I sigh as I click talk.

"Hello?" I ask.

"Damon…" My heart stops when I hear Elena's voice whisper my name. Ha speak of the devil and the devil shall appear. Wait shit Elena phoned which means…Oh no. No, no, no. This is not good. Why the hell is she phoning me? I swear to God if Stefan told her about me getting bit, I will haunt his ass when I'm dead.

"Damon please…" I hear her voice plea on the other line. I want to cry at the sadness and desperation that seeped out of her voice. I open my mouth to reply. Maybe I can have one last conversation with her before I die.

"Damon Salvatore." A menacing voice drawls out from my right. I whip my head to the right to spot none other than Klaus standing there with his arms crossed. I quickly hang up the phone, hoping that he didn't hear Elena's voice on the other line.

"Klaus."

"What do we have here?" He asks as he makes his way closer to me. I scramble to my feet and square my shoulders to face him. He looks at me in amusement. Great now instead of dying from the hybrid bite, I'm going to die from Klaus.

"What do you want?"

"I'm guessing you're the reason why Stefan has disappeared." His voice has taken on a malicious edge. I just shrug my shoulder, trying not to wince in pain. Why the hell should I answer to him?

"Ah I see you've been bit, again." Klaus taunts me. He must have seen the wince _or_ maybe my very bloody and grotesque shoulder. I continue to stay silent.

"You know I could give you my blood… for a small price." I roll my eyes because obviously nothing will come free with him. There always has to be a price to pay and usually it's bloody and/or someone ends up dead.

"What's the price?" I ask. I can't even believe I'm considering this, but I don't want to die yet. The sad truth is that I want more time with Elena. I know it's stupid since she is in love with Stefan, but maybe she might change her mind? I shut down that thought immediately. Elena would never choose me over Stefan.

"Tell me where Stefan is and the cure is yours."

"No." I didn't even have to think about it, the words just fly out of my mouth instinctually. Just because I want Elena all to myself does not mean I'm going to sell my brother out. He should have never gone to Klaus in the first place, so there is no chance in hell I'm going to send him back.

"What?" Klaus growls at me. I have the honor of seeing Klaus look totally off kilter from his usual composed look. He probably expected me to sell my brother out so I could live.

"I. said. No." I made sure to pause between each word, making it abundantly clear that I am not giving up my brother's location to him. He looks completely livid. I can't contain my smirk at this. Defying him is probably going to get me killed, but oh well.

"Well then you're not getting the cure mate." He goes back to calm and collected. Ah he's trying to threaten me with my death. Too bad he doesn't already know I made peace with death quite some time ago. I just shrug my shoulders and seat myself back on the ground, my back against the same tree.

"Or better yet…" He trails off as he gets this weird look in his eye. I narrow mine in suspicion at him, watching him like a hawk. Before I can realize what's happening Klaus lifts me to my feet and shoves his bloody wrist into my mouth. His blood falls into my mouth and I have no choice, but to swallow.

After a few gulps, he rips his wrist out of my mouth and backs away. I choke on the blood and spit some of it out on the ground. God that tastes just as bad as last time. I look up at him to see a self-satisfied smirk in place on his mouth.

"What the hell." I yell. No this is too good to be true. He wouldn't give me the cure for free. What's his game?

"You see Damon. You have loyalty and I like that in a man." What? What the hell is he getting at? I eye him curiously and use the tip of my boot to shuffle around some dirt uneasily. I don't like where this is going.

"Stefan was too whiny the whole trip and you look like a person who would love to binge on human blood." Oh hell no. He is not telling me what I think he's going to tell me. I am not going to be Klaus' slave.

No. That's not going to happen.

"And obviously he took the first chance he got to ditch me, so now because of him…" He trails off, probably trying to be all dramatic. Ugh Drama Queen.

"You're going to take his place." Ahh hell, he did say what I thought he was going to say. Damn. I wonder if I'm allowed to say no.

"This is not me asking Damon." Fuck. Great now I have to be Klaus' slave and nobody is going to be out looking for me because they all believe I'm going to be dead in a few short hours. So now I have to be Klaus' bitch until he lets me go.

"I will compel you if I have to, but I usually don't like resorting to taking away people's ability to make their own choices." His voice is stern. He does know that none of that made sense right? No matter if he compels me or not, he is still taking away my choice. Wow he has a pretty twisted sense of logic.

"How long do I have to stay with you?" I bite out, glaring at him. This is so not fair. I would rather die than stay with this psycho. I could just stake myself, but I can't. The fact that I can still see Elena's face down the road if he ever decides to let me go, stops me from making that rash decision.

"For as long as it takes." He says, motioning for me with his hand to start walking. I make my way over to his side, keeping enough distance away. Just because I have to stay with this guy, doesn't mean we are going to be all buddy, buddy.

"What does that even mean?" I ask because frankly none of what he is doing is making sense.

"It means that you are my bait."

"Bait for what?"

"Stefan." What the hell? How does that make any sense? Stefan thinks I'm going to be dead, how the hell can I be bait.

"He thinks I'm dying." I state bluntly. This plan will never work. Klaus is not working with a full deck of cards.

"Well not for long." He says cryptically. What does that even mean?

"Huh?"

"Our first stop is Mystic Falls." I stop walking and freeze in place. Did he just say Mystic Falls? Where Stefan _and _Elena are? Oh fuck.

"Why there? Why not somewhere like England or Russia?" You know somewhere on the other side of the world. He just lets out an amused chuckle and continues walking, forcing me to unfreeze my body in order to keep up with him.

"Well you see Mystic Falls is where we are going to make sure Stefan knows you're alive." I feel dread start to creep its way into my mind. This is not good. Not good at all. I look at him with what probably looks like a big question mark on my face.

"Don't think I don't know mate." My eyes widen for a split second before I put on my cool poker face.

"Know what?" I ask.

"That Elena's alive."

Oh Shit.

**A/N: Sorry it wasn't that long. I'm going to try to make the chapters a bit longer in the future. I just want to say that this story is definitely veering off from the show. So technically certain things from the show won't apply to this story. With that said, please leave a review. **


	4. Chapter 4

******Disclaimer: All rights go to L.J. Smith and the CW.**

**Sorry for the long wait. I had to figure out where I was going to go with this because I kind of got stuck. I hope you guys like it. Again not really to much Delena, but trust me this is a Delena story. I hope you guys enjoy and thank you for all the amazing reviews. **

* * *

**Damon**

I follow Klaus out of the mountains. My mind running a mile a minute with thoughts on how to save Elena from Klaus. How does Klaus even know Elena is still alive? Did he hear my conversation with her? There is only one way to find out.

"What are you talking about? Elena died the night you killed her." I let as much venom as I could muster, leak into my voice. It wasn't that hard when picturing back to that night, Elena lying lifeless in my arms.

"Oh come on mate, don't try and tell me that wasn't her on the phone." He chuckles as he steps out of the dense forest and into a clearing where his black S.U.V is waiting. I come up with what might possibly be the lamest excuse ever.

"It was Katherine calling, to give me some information on Stefan." I try to put as much conviction into my voice as possible. I can't allow him to go to Mystic Falls where he will most definitely find a not so dead Elena.

I walk around the passenger side of the car while Klaus gets in the driver's side. I take out my phone and type a quick message to Elena.

_Get out of Mystic Falls. Now!_

With that I delete the sent message, shoving my phone into my pocket and climbed into the passenger seat. I hope Elena actually heeds my warning, but a sinking feeling in my stomach has me knowing otherwise. Elena never listens to me, so why would today be any different?

"Well then there's no reason to not go right?" I clench my jaw in anger and slight fear. If Elena's still there when we arrive then Klaus will have no problem with finishing what he started. We would be powerless against him.

He starts up the car and we make our way out of the mountains. I look out the window, watching the scenery flash by as he speeds his way down the gravel path. Please Elena do what you're told for once in your life, I plead in my head.

Neither of us speaks a word after that. The car ride to Mystic Falls is taken in complete silence. I refuse to even utter another word him since he could possibly be the end of Elena. I try to relax my muscles, not wanting to give away anything. Leaning back into the seat, I close my eyes and wait.

* * *

An hour went by when we arrived at a gas station not to far outside of Mystic Falls. Apparently Klaus never thought ahead to fill up on gas, so now we are running on empty. It doesn't bother me in the slightest because this gives Elena more time to get the hell out of dodge.

"I'm going to go get a drink." I say offhandedly as I make my way into the gas station. I hear his grunt as he fills up the tank. I walk to the back of the store and feel relief wash over me at the very convenient construction that's going on for the building. The noise will drown out my voice for sure. I quickly pull out my phone and dial Elena's number. I begin to panic when she doesn't pick up. I need to talk to her and make sure she's gone.

"Damon." Elena's voice comes out in a breathy whisper.

"Elena." I completely forget what I was calling her for. The sound of her out of breath and whispering makes my heart drop. Did I interrupt her and Stefan reconnecting? I feel anger bubble up inside me. I'm out here with Klaus himself and she's living it up with Stefan. When Stefan disappeared she did everything in her power to try and find him, but when I'm gone she could care less.

I know I'm a hypocrite since I made Stefan swear that he wouldn't tell Elena I was dying, but I at least thought she would be more worried. All I got was one stinking phone call and that's it. The irrational anger surprises me.

"Did you get my message?" I bite out, anger clouding my voice. I peer around a magazine stand to see Klaus putting the nozzle back.

"No my phone was dead earlier today. I had to charg-" I cut her off mid sentence, watching as Klaus makes his way to me.

"You have to get out of Mystic Falls, or at least go to Bonnie's where you will be safe. Stay there until I call you next. No time to explain, just do it. Now!" With that I hang up the phone and delete the outgoing calls. I grab the young lady who was looking through a magazine and quickly bite into her neck. I use my hand to muffle her scream.

"Atta boy." I hear Klaus chuckle from behind me. I dislodge my fangs from the girls neck and look up at Klaus who's wearing a very satisfied smirk. I wipe the blood off with the back of my arm and turn the terrified girl around.

"You won't remember a thing." I compel her to forget.

"No, no, no mate. You're going to kill her."

"No." Is all I say before letting the girl go and pushing my way past him, bumping his shoulder in the process. Before I could step a foot past him, he grabs my arm in a death grip.

"If you want that little doppelgänger bitch to survive then you will kill her." He hisses out menacingly into my left ear. My entire body freezes at this. So I didn't fool him. I guess it was a long shot anyway, but still I'm not going to let anything out. I'm going to drag this lie as far as I can.

"You. Already. Killed. Her!" I bite out between clenched teeth, keeping up with the ruse of Elena being dead. I watch as something changes in his eyes. I hope that it's the realization the Elena is dead, even though she's not.

"Well then…" He says, probably not knowing what to say. I shrug his hand off and make my way back to the car. Phew maybe there will be hope for Elena after all. As long as she does what I said. We might actually dodge the bullet.

As I reach the car I hear the woman from the gas station scream bloody murder.

**Elena**

I try to get my breathing back under control as I process the phone call. Damon's still alive. That means that Stefan lied about Damon being bit, but why would Damon wants me to leave? What the hell is going on?

"Elena." Stefan's voice penetrates my thoughts. He places his hand on my shoulder, lightly caressing my shoulder blade. I turn around and look at Stefan's form. His forest green eyes, pants hung low on his hips and his chest bare.

I take a step back from him.

"Are you almost ready?" I ask.

"Uh, yeah I just have to get a shirt on." He says while his eyes narrowed in worry. I brush past him and sit on the couch in the parlor. With that Stefan makes his way upstairs. I look down at Damon's shirt in my hand and his hair brush. Well I guess this is useless now. I toss them on the couch beside me and wait patiently for Stefan to finish.

I don't even know why he wants to go back to Bonnie's house with me. I just needed to come back for something of Damon's so Bonnie could do a tracking spell. I would have missed Damon's phone call if the ringer wasn't on.

I finally get my breathing under control. The running from the car, into the boarding house, upstairs into Damon's room and rushing around searching for his stuff was tiring. All this coupled with the adrenalin of finally get a good lead on Damon definitely made me out of breath.

"Okay I'm ready." I look up at Stefan's now fully clothed form and stand up.

"Damon called."

"What did he say?" Stefan asks, walking up to me. I take a step back; the fear of him losing control is still in the back of my mind. I watch Stefan's face drop, the feeling of guilt creeps up but I force it down.

I need to focus on Damon.

"He told me to leave Mystic Falls or Hunker down in Bonnie's house until he tells me its okay to leave." I explain. I watch the color drain from Stefan's face.

"What's wrong Stefan?" I ask, the worry taking over my voice. His face looks ashen.

"Klaus is coming." I feel a shiver run over my body. The relief of hearing Damon's voice after hearing Klaus' when we last talked was overwhelming.

The relief instantly dies at this. Klaus is with Damon, which means Klaus could be torturing Damon. Or worse using him as his slave as a replacement for Stefan… But if Klaus is coming then that means Damon is coming back to Mystic Falls too.

That's probably why he warned me to get out of Mystic Falls, but how can I leave when this could be my chance to save Damon from Klaus? I hate the irony in the fact that Damon saved Stefan from Klaus, but in return got taken.

"Then we should listen to Damon and get you to Bonnie's." I shake my head back and forth. There's no way I will let this opportunity go. If Damon is coming back, I will not hide out in Bonnie's house while there's a chance that I can save him.

"Elena you're going to Bonnie's" Stefan demanded, his voice holding no argument. Yet when have I ever yielded to someone's will and demand?

"Stefan I am not giving up the chance of saving Damon."

"Well I'm not going to allow you to risk your life for him." Stefan hisses his face transforming. His eyes are bloodshot while the veins crawl under his eyes. I take a step back in fear, not knowing how in control he is.

"I'm not going to let him be a slave to Klaus and who knows if Klaus will kill him or not." I say calmly, trying not to provoke Stefan any further.

"His life's not worth yours." His voice is abnormally calm for the absolute fury radiating through his body language. He looks anything, but calm.

"Oh, but yours was worth his when he saved you?" I hiss out. My anger seeping out at how he can belittle Damon's worth like that. Stefan's fury be damned. I will not allow him to talk lowly of Damon.

"You're going to Bonnie's and that's final." He growls deep in his throat. With that he grabs onto my left arm and drags me out of the room. I try to make my body dead weight, but his strength allows him to continue to pull me until he's shoving me into his car.

"Stefan let me go!" I scream, trying to open the door.

"No."

He starts up the car and makes his way out of the driveway. I cross my arms and sulk as we make our way to Bonnie's house. I begin to plan an escape in my head.

One way or another, I'm saving Damon Salvatore.

**A/N: So there it is... I hope you guys liked it... It's kind of hard to write scenes with Damon and Klaus, I just hope I did their scene justice. Did you like Stefan's reaction? Please leave a review telling me what you loved and hated about it. ****  
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	5. Chapter 5

**********Disclaimer: All rights go to L.J. Smith and the CW.**

**********Hello everyone. How are you all doing? Me? I'm drowning in homework/assignment/test overload. My teachers must have a grudge against me or the conspiring with each other. Especially my English teacher. I truly think she hates me. Anyways why did I tell you all this? Because those 'evil' teachers are the reason why this chapter wasn't up way before today. I would really like to thank all of you who reviewed last chapter, it means a lot. It truly does. So thank you.  
**

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**Damon**

By the time we reach The Welcome to Mystic Falls sign, I am a nervous wreak. What happens if Elena doesn't listen to me? What if she totally ignored my warning and is lounging in the boarding house right now like a sitting duck.

I fidget in my seat as we draw closer and closer to the boarding house. Oh God I hope for once in her life Elena actually does what she is told. I couldn't stand the thought of what Klaus would do if he finds her alive.

I twist my daylight ring around my finger nervously. My anxiety raises ten fold as the boarding house comes into view.

I get out of the car and turn to my left, looking over the hood of the car at a smirking Klaus. He looks like the cat that caught the canary. I swear if Elena didn't listen to me and she is still in that house, I will personally kill her myself. If Klaus doesn't kill her myself.

I take a step to go around the car, but when I look back up Klaus is gone. I run into the house, the door wide open. I stop in my tracks at Klaus sitting in one of the chairs, his legs popped up on the coffee table.

"What are you doing?" I ask. Instead of answering me, he just leans back and crosses his arms behind his head. I narrow my eyes as I expand my hearing. It seems we are the only living or non-living thing in this house.

"We are going to wait here until your brother returns from wherever he is." I raise my eyebrows in surprise. Why would he think Stefan would be here if Elena's not?

"Why do you think Stefan's here? He could be all the way in Hong Kong right now." Klaus just gives me one of his stares that say 'seriously mate...' I just look at him in confusion. I'm going to play Elena being dead for all it's worth.

"Well obviously Stefan would come back to the place of Elena's death. He just loves putting himself through unnecessary pain doesn't he?" I narrow my eyes at him. This is not good. Since Elena obviously listened to me, thank God. This means that Stefan wont be back until I give the all clear.

I feel a foreboding wash over me as I realize that if Stefan doesn't show up, then I'm probably going to have to go with Klaus. He might use me as a replacement for Stefan.

I walk over to the drink cart and pour myself a tumbler of bourbon. I need to sooth my nerves. The thought of spending an eternity with Klaus is something I will not be looking forward to.

"So what, we're just going to wait here for Stefan to stop by?" I put the right amount of skepticism into my voice to make him rethink staying here. It seems to not work because all he does is just close his eyes. I let out a miserable sigh as I down my drink.

I move to the staircase. I need to wash all this grime off of me. The blood and mud caked to my skin is starting to become really uncomfortable. Plus I really need to get out of these ruined clothes.

"Where do you think your going?" Klaus' voice carries from the parlor. I don't stop my ascent up the stairs.

"I'm going to take a shower and change if that's okay with you." I reply sarcastically. I hear his snort from the parlor as I make my way into my room and slam the door loud enough for him to hear. It seems a little childish, but it's a way to vent my growing frustration.

The thought of never getting to see Elena again because of my need to sacrifice myself for my brother... It just makes my life seem bleary. I know for a fact that if Klaus decides to use me as a replacement for Stefan, then I will never see Elena again and I don't think I could live with that.

I take off my clothes, throwing them into the garbage bin in my bathroom. I hear a clunk as they hit the bin and freeze. Quickly I turn on the shower and adjust the temperature to warm. As the sound of the water pounding on shower walls fill the room, I rush to the bin and take out my phone.

I click to Elena's number and press create message.

**To Elena:**

_Make sure you and Stefan stay away. Klaus is looking for you guys, so you need to stay hidden. Don't worry I will make sure Klaus is gone soon._

**From Damon:**

I put the phone down on the counter and take out a towel out of the cupboard below the sink. I put the towel on top of the phone to hide it and then step inside the shower.

* * *

Twenty minutes later I step out of the shower and take the towel and wrap it around my waist. I open my phone to see a message. I take a deep breath and open it.

**To Damon: **

_I have a plan._

**From Elena:**

Oh no, no, no, no. She cannot be serious.

She has a plan. She has a plan! Is she nuts? What the hell is wrong with that woman? Whatever plan she comes up with is suicide. There is absolutely no way to get me out of this unless she hands Stefan over to him. That obviously would never happen because she would never sacrifice the love of her life for me.

I listen to the creaks of the old house and hear Klaus sipping from what I imagine to be one of the many tumblers on the wet bar. I make my way into my bedroom and sit on the bed.

**To Elena:**

_Are you insane! Don't leave Bonnie's house Elena. I mean it._

**From Damon:**

I slip on my jeans and button up one of my many John Varvatos shirts. I delete all the messages in my phone and shove it into my jean pocket. I turn around and make my way towards my bedroom door.

Ring.

Oh no. I look down at the pocket holding my phone in horror. I take it out and look at the caller I.D.

Elena.

"What do we have here?" I snap my head up at Klaus' voice. He's leaning against my door frame, his arms crossing over his chest.

Ring.

Before I could make a move, Klaus has my phone out of my hand and in his. I freeze in complete horror. Klaus' eyes flash in anger when he looks at Elena's name flashing across the screen.

"Hello Elena." Klaus says as he accepts the call. I feel ice travel through my veins. I failed Elena. Now that he knows Elena's alive he will probably stop at nothing to kill her.

"Klaus." Her angelic voice travels through the phone piece and to my ears. She sounds utterly calm and collected, her voice giving away zero fear. Despite this dangerous and potentially hazardous situation, just hearing her voice makes me feel a little better.

"Well love, I see your alive and well." He also sounds calm, almost as if he was talking about the weather.

"Where's Damon?" Elena's voice has now taken on a threatening edge. Almost as if she could actually hurt Klaus if he did something to hurt me.

"Well he's standing right next to me, but I might have to punish him for lying to me about your ultimate demise." Klaus' eyes narrow in anger at me. I try to look impassive, but the promise in his eyes for a world of pain makes me shudder.

"I swear to God if you touch him-" Klaus didn't let her finish her sentence, he just bursts out laughing. His booming laugh echoing off the walls of my room.

"What could you possibly do love?" Klaus' voice is full of humor and he has an earsplitting grin splashed onto his face. He leans against one of the poles of my bed, his arms crossed while he holds the phone between his ear and shoulder.

I still stand frozen in my spot. I just couldn't find it in me to move. This whole situation is just one horrible mess that I could have prevented if I had just turned off my fucking cell phone. I feel resentment trickle through me at my own stupidity. If Elena dies because of this, I will gladly meet the sun.

The line is silent, I strain my ears. All that I can hear on the other line is static. I scrunch my eyebrows in confusion. What the hell is going on? Is Elena okay? Is she hurt? What happened? I watch as the laugh lines disappear from Klaus' face and his smile turn down into a frown.

Klaus open's his mouth to say something when he lets out an earsplitting scream.

**A/N: Ta-da! How about that for a cliffhanger? So did you guys like it? Hate it? Well it would be really nice if you could leave a review telling me what you thought about it. **


	6. Chapter 6

******Disclaimer: All rights go to L.J. Smith and the CW.**

**Uhm... Well this is awkward. I'm so sorry I haven't updated this story in forever, but I wanted to finish my other story before season 4 started and I kind of put this on the back burner... Anyways to make it up to everyone this chapter is extra long. So I really hope you enjoy. This is the end and so I would like to thank all of you who reviewed/Alerted/Favorited and followed this story. It means a lot.  
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* * *

**Damon**

My eyes widen as I turn and see Bonnie standing in the doorway, her hands outstretched in front of her. Her eyes are solely trained on Klaus, who is now withering on the floor. My breath hitches when I see Elena standing behind her, staring intently at me.

I quickly avert my eyes and look over to a now moaning Klaus. What the hell is happening? I take a couple steps back as Klaus tries to reach for my leg. Faintly I hear murmuring from Bonnie which slowly begins to escalate into full blown shouts.

I turn my head to look at Elena again, her eyes still trained on me. Abruptly Bonnie stops chanting.

"Take some of my blood!" She yells, her eyes solely on Klaus. I widen my eyes in bewilderment. She want's me, Damon Salvatore to feed on her? Am I in some alternate reality?

"Do it Damon!" Elena screams at me over Bonnie's chanting. With out a second thought I run up to her and bite into her wrist. Immediately the overwhelming power that only a witches blood can give, glides down my throat and into my body. Almost instantly I feel immense power surge through me.

I pull back, not wanting to take to much from the one who's keeping Klaus down. Now what? I look between her and Elena, still confused as hell. Why did I have to drink Bonnie's blood? My confusion escalates when Jeremy walks into the room, to stand beside his sister.

"What the hell is going on?" I look between all three of them. Now I'm more irritated then confused. I hate not being in on a plan. Bonnie once again stops her chanting and quickly turns to Jeremy, who is now getting on his back.

"You have to make contact with his heart." I shoot her an incredulous look. She cannot be serious. She wants me to put my hand inside his chest and make contact with his heart. Does she really want me dead that much?

"Hurry up Damon, Klaus will be up soon. We don't have much time." I look over to Elena, her eyes pleading with me to listen to Bonnie. I let out a annoyed sigh as I rush up to Klaus and punch my hand through his chest. I literally have his heart in the palm of my hand.

Now what?

If I die, I am so going to haunt Sabrina's ass.

Immediately Bonnie begins to chant, but this time the Latin words are different. Under my hands, I feel Klaus begin to twitch, his strength beginning to return to him. I move my gaze over to Bonnie. She has her hand over Jeremy's chest and her eyes closed.

Elena's still standing in the doorway, her head whipping back and forth between what Bonnie's doing and what I'm doing.

"Hurry up Witch." I say, my voice giving away how scared I am. Slowly but surely Klaus is able to move his arms. I move a little so I can put my knees on his arms, forcing them to stay still. Dammit that witch better hurry with whatever she's doing or else I'm going to be a dead man.

Well a dead, dead man.

I look down at Klaus and do my best to repress a flinch. His eyes are glaring murderously at me, a promise of the pain to come when he gets out of this. Oh shit, oh shit. I've never been more nervous then I am now in my whole existence.

I try not to panic as Klaus begins to slightly lift my body up. His arms raising enough to almost make me lose my balance.

"Bonnie hurry!" This time it wasn't my voice that spoke, but Elena's. Her voice held a note of hysteria, I can feel her eyes boring into my back. I guess she too realizes that if Bonnie doesn't finish whatever she's doing soon then I'm going to be ten feet under.

I crane my neck around to see what's taking her so long when one of Klaus' hands slip out from under my knee. His arm shoots up, his hand wrapping around my neck. My eyes bulge out of my head at the feeling of my windpipe being crushed.

Slowly his hand starts turning and if Bonnie doesn't finish in about a second then my neck is going to snap like a twig. Surprisingly I begin to see dedicating veins crawl up Klaus' skin. His eyes to bulge out, but in anger.

Before I can think of what this means, I hear a crack resonate throughout my head. Then everything goes black.

**Elena**

"Damon!" I scream at the top of my lungs. Overwhelming fear takes grip over my body as I watch Damon's body slump to the floor. I barely hear Bonnie when she tells me it's over.

I don't waste a second as I run up to Damon. I feel tears slip down my face as I pull him off of Klaus and into my arms. I put his head onto my lap and sit there, threading my fingers through his hair. Rationally I know that he's going to be okay, but seeing his neck snap like that _and _hearing it is just to much.

The thought of losing him...

I look up and notice Bonnie doing the same thing with Jeremy. I didn't want him doing that, but he insisted. I look towards the door as Stefan comes barging in. His eyes immediately find mine. His eyes are full of sadness and pain. Quickly I avert mine, I never meant to hurt him.

_**Flashback**_

_We arrive at Bonnie's in record time. I continue to glare at Stefan as he drags me by the arm, up the stairs at to the front door. Bonnie open's the door and ushers us in. Stefan must have text her about our arrival. _

_He finally lets me go once the door is shut behind us. I give him my best murderous glare as I stomp like a child who didn't get there way, over to Bonnie's couch. _

"_We need to do something. We can't just let him go off with Klaus!" I demand, glaring at both of them standing with their arms crossed in front of me. _

"_What do you expect us to do Elena? Damon gave himself up for me and I'm not going to ruin that by going in there gun's a blazing with no plan!" Stefan shouts. Standing up, I too cross my arms over my chest._

"_Well we don't have much time to come up with a plan now do we Stefan?" We continue to glare at each other, neither of us backing down. I snap my eyes in Bonnie's direction as she clears her throat. _

"_I might know of a way to help, but it is a long shot and you're probably not going to like it." I nod my head eagerly, I will be okay with anything as long as Damon's safe._

"_There's this spell in the grimoire... One that apparently can desiccate a vampire." _

"_Wait I thought Klaus was indestructible?" Stefan states, his eyes shining with triumph. Why is he acting like this? Does he not want Damon back? Did the blood change him that much?_

"_Well yes, they are. But this spell doesn't kill him, it just leaves him in a limbo. It's like he's dead, but he's not. He can still see and hear, but he can't move a muscle." My body suddenly feels a million times lighter at the thought of Damon being safe and Klaus out of our life forever._

"_Well what are we waiting for? He should already be here by now." I say excitedly, making my way towards the door._

"_Wait there's more!" I turn back around and let out an exasperated huff. _

"_In order to do this we have to stop a living heart." My mouth drops open in shock, so in order to save Damon someone has to die? Oh God. I shake my head back and forth. I refuse to believe that this is the only way. That I have to choose between Damon and someone else. _

"_There has to be another way Bonnie! There has to be!" I pace back and forth in front of them. I need to think of something fast because if I don't come up with something soon then Damon will probably slip through my fingers. _

"_I'll do it." I stop abruptly and turn my head to the stairs, facing Jeremy who's standing on the bottom step. Oh no, no, no, no. I will not use my brother as a sacrificial lamb. There has to be another way. There **needs** to be another way. Before I can speak up in protest Bonnie nods her head._

"_That can work. He has the ring that will bring him back." She cannot be serious. Why would she even suggest that? How can she stand there so calmly and discuss Jeremy's death?_

"_Absolutely not! You're not doing this Jer." Jeremy just crosses his arms over his chest and glares at me. _

"_You are not the boss of me! If I can technically kill this bastard that killed Jenna then I'm willing to do this." Pain pierces my heart at that. The death of aunt Jenna is still fresh in my mind and the pain is overwhelming. All these people dead... because of me. _

"_You want to save Damon don't you?" Jeremy edges on. I close my eyes, picturing Damon's smirk, his eyes. Letting out a long sigh I reopened my eyes._

"_Okay..." I whisper, grabbing a hold of Jeremy's hands and pulling him into a bone crushing hug. _

"_I'll be fine." He whispers. _

"_Okay then we better get going." Bonnie says, making her way out the door. Jeremy unwraps his arms from around me and follows her outside. Sighing I too make my way towards the door when Stefan's hand wraps around my wrist._

_With a tug he pulls me around so I'm facing him._

"_If this works-" _

"_It will." I cut him off. He just gives me a look._

"_If this works, nothing will change between us right? We will go back to the way things were. You and I?" Quickly I avert my eyes to the ground. I want to say that nothing will change so badly, but... I just can't. This summer things changed. While looking for Stefan, Damon and I got closer then ever before. _

_Somewhere along the way I...I fell for him. I won't say going up into those mountains was a mistake because we saved Stefan. The only mistake was me leaving without him by my side. I will never forgive myself if this doesn't work. _

_But for things to go back the way they were before. It's impossible. _

"_I love you Stefan." I whisper. I move my eyes slowly up until our eyes are trained on each other. The hope and joy shining in his makes me hate myself for what I'm about to say._

"_I do. But I'm not in love with you." His whole face falls at this. He looks completely devastated. His hand lets go off my wrist as if I burned him._

"_I'm sorry I should have never left." I take a step back as if he physically slapped me. Anger bubbles up inside of me at this. _

"_Then Damon would be dead!" Yes I mourn the loss of our love, but I will never regret Stefan saving Damon. I hate myself for saying this, but because of Stefan's departure I found a love that transcends the love Stefan and I had. _

"_But we would still be together!" He yells back at me, his face morphing into his vampiric face. _

"_You don't get it." I say calmly while shaking my head. Stefan's face goes back to normal as he looks at me in confusion._

"_We were just delaying the inevitable. Damon and I would have found a way to each other. We're twin flames." I whisper. I didn't realize what I said until I said it. Nothing has ever felt as right in my life as it did when I called us twin flames._

_**End of flashback**_

I'm jolted back to reality when Damon jolts awake. I flutter my hands over his body, not knowing where to touch. His eyes are wide as he looks around his bedroom.

"Where is everyone? What happened?" He asks in a rush. Confused by his question I too look around the room and to my surprise, everyone is gone. Even Klaus.

"They must be downstairs." Again he jolts, but this time before I can blink he's standing on his feet in front of me. I must have startled him.

"Elena..." He breathes out. I feel tears threaten to fall as I take in his expression. His eyes are unguarded, shining with love. I feel my heart swell with love as I stand up. I walk up to him and wrap my arms around his waist, holding onto his body as if it's my life preserver.

I barely realize his body is completely frozen. His muscles are tense and his body reeks of tension. Foolishly I ignore all the warning signs and cling to him, overjoyed to have him back.

"Thank God you're okay." I whisper into his chest. I frown as he puts his arms on my shoulder and pries me off of him. He takes a couple steps back, his eyes now hidden behind his carefully constructed walls.

"Where's Stefan?" He asks, his voice void of emotions. I look at him in confusion.

"I don't know." I whisper, taking a step towards him. I stop as his arms shoot out in front of him, making a stop motion.

"Shouldn't you be with him celebrating the demise of Klaus?" His voice is sickly sweet, his whole posture stiff.

"What are you talking about Damon?" He doesn't answer me as he makes his way to the bedroom door, opening it wide. He makes a sweeping motion with his hand, a movement clearly showing he wanted me out of his room.

"Why?" That's all I can get out at his blasé attitude. I feel hurt and rejection creep up, my eyes beginning to get watery. That one question was the metaphorical straw that broke the camels back because in the next second he's looming over me, his features twisted into a snarl.

"Because! You left me in those mountains without a single thought! You were willing to let me die for my brother! You were willing to risk _my _life for the sake of Stefan's. You didn't give a shit about me. All you cared about was your precious Stefan so excuse me if I don't feel like having a friendly chat!" I gape at him. He can't possibly believe that I would risk his life.

He was the one who showed up on the mountains. I didn't invite him to come play protector. He was the one who decided to risk his life.

_It's not like you did anything to stop him. _

I cringe at the truth behind that statement. I look up into his angry eyes and feel a deep seeded shame. I can't believe I unknowingly put Damon's life in danger all because I was feeling guilty for the feelings I was having for him. I thought that if by having Stefan back then I wouldn't have to feel guilty about my ever growing love for his brother.

"Damon I-"

"Don't. Just please leave." He says, the anger dissipates from his voice leaving behind exhaustion and hurt.

I try to catch his eyes, but he expertly avoids mine. Sorrow takes over my body as I take all the painstaking steps it takes to reach the door. Why would I expect him to be happy to see me after everything I put him through?

I deserve this. I look back over my shoulder at him. His back is hunched, he looks like he's been physically beaten. His shoulders are sagged and his head is tilted down. My heart aches at the sight.

No you know what. I'm not going to let him push me away like this. I need to fight for him and I am going to do whatever it takes. Turning around I walk back up to him. His shoulders tense and he too turns around.

"I told you-" I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him, cutting him off. His whole body freezes. I squeeze myself to his body and move my lips against his, trying to coax a reaction out of him. Finally, _finally _he starts to kiss back. He moves us backwards towards the bed.

The back of my knees hit the bed and I fall on my back, Damon slowly coming down on top of me.

"Elena what-" Before he can ruin the moment, I put my finger to his lips effectively cutting him off.

"I love you." There I said it. I finally said it. I watch his reaction like a hawk, I try not to laugh as his eyes widen comically. His mouth opens and closes. I can't believe I actually made Damon Salvatore speechless.

"You love me?" He finally gets out, his voice strained. I nod my head, lifting my hand to gently caress his cheek.

"What about Stefan?" What about him? Instantly I cringe. How can I even think that? Yes Stefan and I are broken up, but that doesn't mean I don't still care about his feelings.

"I already told him earlier. We broke up." I watch as I wide range of emotions flash across his face, but the most potent one was hope. I can see clear as day the hope in his eyes. Whatever I have to do to prove to him that I'm his, I will. I cannot fathom going another day without him, or having him in pain because of me.

Slowly I bring my head closer to his, touching our foreheads together. Looking into his striking blue eyes, I brought our lips together in a loving kiss.

"I. Love. You Damon." A genuine smile lights up his whole face, the years and years of pain washed away. Unexpectedly his lips come crashing down on mine, giving me a bruising kiss.

"Say it again!" He demands, his face almost splitting from the huge grin gracing his features.

"I love you." I couldn't help the grin that spreads across my face at the absolute bliss that shines in his eyes. A part of me is sad that this must be the first time someone he cares about actually said they love him, but the more dominant part is just overflowing with love for this man.

I let out a sequel as he lifts me up and puts me down further up the bed so my head is resting on the pillow.

"God I love you so much." He groans into my neck, trailing wet kisses up my jaw and towards my mouth. I wrap my legs around his waist and smile in contentment. This is how it should be. I shouldn't have denied these feelings.

They consume me.

And I wouldn't want it any other way.

**The End.**

**A/N: There it is folks. I hope you all enjoyed this journey. I wasn't going to incorporate anything from season 3, but then I just had to use Bonnie's spell even though the way Bonnie found it was a little diffrent from the actual show. Anyways I hope you all enjoyed it and please don't be afraid to leave a review.  
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